1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to apparatus and methods for making enclosed structures of various types that include screens and/or panels of opaque, translucent, or transparent construction. More particularly, it relates to a construction technique that hides all of the unattractive parts of a screen, panel, or glass enclosure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Screen, panel, and/or glass enclosures such as rooms, patios, porches, and the like are built by erecting frames that may include headers for attachment to an existing structure, posts, beams, door jambs, door sweeps, chair rails, and the like. Screens, opaque or translucent panels, and/or glass panels complete the structure. In a screen enclosure, various parts of the frame include channels formed therein that receive elongate rubber liners that are inserted, with a well-known hand tool that includes a roller, into the channels in overlying relation to the screen edges to secure the screens into position. Conventional construction techniques result in the liners being exposed to view, along with flanges, nuts, bolts, and other utilitarian but unsightly parts. In panel enclosures, whether of opaque, translucent, or glass panels, conventional construction techniques also leave bolts and the like in view.
What is needed, then, is a construction technique that hides from view not only the rubber liners that hold screens into place, but also the bolts and other such parts as well in screen and panel/glass enclosures.
However, in view of the art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in this art how such a construction method could be provided.